{{quote|But [[Rúmil (elf of Tirion)|Rúmil]] said: 'Ilúvatar was the first beginning, and beyond that no wisdom of the [[Valar]] or of [[Eldar]] or of [[Men]] can go.' 'Who was Ilúvatar?' asked [[Eriol]]. 'Was he of the [[Gods]]?' 'Nay,' said Rúmil, 'that he was not, for he made them. Ilúvatar is the Lord for Always who dwells beyond the world; who made it and is not of it nor in it, but loves it.' |''[[The Book of Lost Tales Part One]]'', "[[The Music of the Ainur]]"}}

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'''Eru Ilúvatar''' was the supreme God of [[Elves]] and [[Men]]. He was the single omnipotent creator, but delegated most direct action within Eä to the Ainur, including the shaping of the Earth ([[Arda]]) itself.

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He was considered the [[Creation of the Ainur|father]] of the [[Ainur]], thus in lineage charts Ainur are shown as [[Children of Ilúvatar]]. However, not all of the Ainur were considered to be siblings. For instance, Manwë, Varda, and Melkor's father was Ilúvatar, and Melkor and Manwë were considered brothers; Varda was not considered their sister.

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== The Creator ==

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[[Elves]] and [[Men]] were created by Eru directly, without delegation to the Ainur, and they are therefore called "Children of Ilúvatar" (''[[Eruhini]]''). The [[Dwarves]] were "adopted" by Eru in the sense that they were created by [[Aulë]] but given sapience by Eru. Animals and plants were probably fashioned by Ainur after themes set out by Eru in the [[Music of the Ainur]], although this is questionable in cases where animals exhibit sapience, as in the case of [[Huan]], or the [[Eagles]].

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The activities of Eru on the life of Arda or Eä is not clear. [[Manwë]] was the [[Wikipedia:vicegerent|vicegerent]]<ref>{{S|1}}</ref> of Eru on Arda. The [[Changing of the World]] was made by Eru, something that the Valar themselves could not have done. According to ''[[Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth]]'' Eru would someday enter Eä to save his Children.

==Etymology==

==Etymology==

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IT's a compound of two words, ''[[ilu]]'' and ''[[ilúve]]'' "universe" and ''[[atar]]'' "father."

'''Ilúvatar''' (pron. [[Noldorin|N]] {{IPA|[iˈluːvatar]}}, [[Vanyarin|V]] {{IPA|[iˈluːβatar]}}) is [[Quenya]] for "the Father of All", more commonly referred to as '''[[Ilúvatar|Eru]]'''.

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The name ''Ilúvatar'' is a compound of two words, ''[[ilu]]'' and ''[[ilúvë]]'' "universe" and ''[[atar]]'' "father."

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It is to be noted that in earlier works of the legendarium the name ''Ilúvatar'' meant "Sky-father" since the element ''il-'' refers also to the sky (cf. [[Ilmen]]), but this etymology was dropped in favour of the newer meaning in later revisions. Ilúvatar was also the only name of God used in earlier versions — the name Eru first appeared in the ''[[The Annals of Aman|Annals of Aman]]''.<ref>{{HM|MR}}</ref>

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==Inspiration==

==Inspiration==

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The title "The Father of All" is thought by some to be borrowed from the god Odin in Norse mythology, though the New Testament also refers to God as the "one God and Father of all". Tolkien, as a Catholic and a scholar of northern European mythology, was probably influenced by both sources. (The name itself is probably based on the Old Norse ''Alfóðr'', a name for Odin, however.) As Tolkien was highly educated in Finnish mythology, it would be no surprise if the name of Ilúvatar were influenced by Ilmatar, Maid of Air, one of the primal spirits of creation.

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Tolkien understood Eru not as a "fictional deity" but as a name in a fictional language for the actual monotheistic God, although in a mythological or fictional context. In a draft of a letter of [[1954]] to Peter Hastings, manager of the Newman Bookshop (a Catholic bookshop in [[Oxford]]), Tolkien defended non-orthodox aspects as rightly within the scope of his mythology, as an exploration of the infinite "potential variety" of God. Regarding the possibility of reincarnation of [[Elves]], Hastings had written:

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{{quote|God has not used that device in any of the creations of which we have knowledge, and it seems to me to be stepping beyond the position of a sub-creator to produce it as an actual working thing, because a sub-creator, when dealing with the relations between creator and created, should use those channels which he knows the creator to have used already|Peter Hastings}}

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Tolkien's reply contains an explanation of his view of the relation of (divine) Creation to (human) [[sub-creation]]:

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{{quote|We differ entirely about the nature of the relation of sub-creation to Creation. I should have said that liberation "from the channels the creator is known to have used already" is the fundamental function of "sub-creation", a tribute to the infinity of His potential variety [...] I am not a metaphysician; but I should have thought it a curious metaphysic &mdash; there is not one but many, indeed potentially innumerable ones &mdash; that declared the channels known (in such a finite corner as we have any inkling of) to have been used, are the only possible ones, or efficacious, or possibly acceptable to and by Him!|J.R.R. Tolkien, [[Letter 153]]}}

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Hastings had also criticised the description of [[Tom Bombadil]] by [[Goldberry]]: ''"He is"'', saying that this seemed to imply that Bombadil was God.

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It is to be noted that in earlier works of the legendarium the name Ilúvatar meant "Sky-father" since the element ''il-'' refers also to the sky (cf. [[Ilmen]]), but this etymology was dropped in favour of the newer meaning in later revisions. Ilúvatar was also the only name of God used in earlier versions — the name Eru first appeared in the ''[[Annals of Aman]]''{{HM|MR}}.

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Tolkien replied to this:

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:''As for Tom Bombadil, I really do think you are being too serious, besides missing the point. [...] You rather remind me of a Protestant relation who to me objected to the (modern) Catholic habit of calling priests Father, because the name father belonged only to the First Person.''

"But Rúmil said: 'Ilúvatar was the first beginning, and beyond that no wisdom of the Valar or of Eldar or of Men can go.' 'Who was Ilúvatar?' asked Eriol. 'Was he of the Gods?' 'Nay,' said Rúmil, 'that he was not, for he made them. Ilúvatar is the Lord for Always who dwells beyond the world; who made it and is not of it nor in it, but loves it.' "

Eru Ilúvatar was the supreme God of Elves and Men. He was the single omnipotent creator, but delegated most direct action within Eä to the Ainur, including the shaping of the Earth (Arda) itself.

He was considered the father of the Ainur, thus in lineage charts Ainur are shown as Children of Ilúvatar. However, not all of the Ainur were considered to be siblings. For instance, Manwë, Varda, and Melkor's father was Ilúvatar, and Melkor and Manwë were considered brothers; Varda was not considered their sister.

Contents

The Creator

Elves and Men were created by Eru directly, without delegation to the Ainur, and they are therefore called "Children of Ilúvatar" (Eruhini). The Dwarves were "adopted" by Eru in the sense that they were created by Aulë but given sapience by Eru. Animals and plants were probably fashioned by Ainur after themes set out by Eru in the Music of the Ainur, although this is questionable in cases where animals exhibit sapience, as in the case of Huan, or the Eagles.

Ilúvatar

Ilúvatar (pron. N[iˈluːvatar], V[iˈluːβatar]) is Quenya for "the Father of All", more commonly referred to as Eru.

The name Ilúvatar is a compound of two words, ilu and ilúvë "universe" and atar "father."

It is to be noted that in earlier works of the legendarium the name Ilúvatar meant "Sky-father" since the element il- refers also to the sky (cf. Ilmen), but this etymology was dropped in favour of the newer meaning in later revisions. Ilúvatar was also the only name of God used in earlier versions — the name Eru first appeared in the Annals of Aman.[2]

Inspiration

Tolkien understood Eru not as a "fictional deity" but as a name in a fictional language for the actual monotheistic God, although in a mythological or fictional context. In a draft of a letter of 1954 to Peter Hastings, manager of the Newman Bookshop (a Catholic bookshop in Oxford), Tolkien defended non-orthodox aspects as rightly within the scope of his mythology, as an exploration of the infinite "potential variety" of God. Regarding the possibility of reincarnation of Elves, Hastings had written:

"God has not used that device in any of the creations of which we have knowledge, and it seems to me to be stepping beyond the position of a sub-creator to produce it as an actual working thing, because a sub-creator, when dealing with the relations between creator and created, should use those channels which he knows the creator to have used already"

― Peter Hastings

Tolkien's reply contains an explanation of his view of the relation of (divine) Creation to (human) sub-creation:

"We differ entirely about the nature of the relation of sub-creation to Creation. I should have said that liberation "from the channels the creator is known to have used already" is the fundamental function of "sub-creation", a tribute to the infinity of His potential variety [...] I am not a metaphysician; but I should have thought it a curious metaphysic — there is not one but many, indeed potentially innumerable ones — that declared the channels known (in such a finite corner as we have any inkling of) to have been used, are the only possible ones, or efficacious, or possibly acceptable to and by Him!"

Hastings had also criticised the description of Tom Bombadil by Goldberry: "He is", saying that this seemed to imply that Bombadil was God.

Tolkien replied to this:

As for Tom Bombadil, I really do think you are being too serious, besides missing the point. [...] You rather remind me of a Protestant relation who to me objected to the (modern) Catholic habit of calling priests Father, because the name father belonged only to the First Person.